Women are more susceptible to knee injuries than men, a fact long attributed to differences in muscular and skeletal structure. A new study suggests gender differences in the nervous system also may play a role.
Research at Oregon State University suggests men and women differ in how they transmit the nerve impulses that control muscle force. The finding may help explain why women are far more likely than men to blow out their knees, specifically the anterior cruciate ligaments, during non-contact activity. Answering that question could lead to training regimens that reduce the risk of injury. Although ACL tears often are repaired, there is a 15 percent chance of re-tearing, and even repaired injuries can lead to osteoarthritis.
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“Some people say women are twice as likely to injure their ACL than men,” said Sam Johnson, one of the authors of the study and a clinical associate professor in the School of Biological and Population Health Sciences. “Some say eight times, but it’s probably somewhere in between.”
Researchers have been trying for 20 years to figure out why women are so prone to knee injuries. They’ve long known skeletal and muscle differences are a factor, but not so great as to explain the divergence in injury rates between the sexes.
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